Under Different Circumstances
by Minamoto Miyuki
Summary: WHat if Yuna and the others hadn't arrived in time to stop Nooj from enforcing his plan to stop Shuyin? (re-post)
1. Chapter I

**Under different circumstances**

By: Minamoto Miyuki {wtfish0880@yahoo.com}

Summary: What if Yuna, Paine, and Rikku hadn't been able to arrive in time to stop Nooj from enforcing his original plan in attempts to stop Shuyin. (FFX-2 AU)

A/n: This is being reposted because some vindictive bastard wanted to act like a baby and report this story when in no way shape or form does this go against the TOS or the rules or anything of that matter. Especially no for the reason it was reported either. I am just so disgusted that someone would do that.

-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-~-

Chapter 1: Death-seeker 

(Written: December 27, 2003)

The soft melody gently filled the area as Nooj stepped on top of the platform.

Nooj eyed the great machina beast weighing the odds.

'Let's hope this works.' The leader of the youth league thought as he caught eye of the possessed Baralai.

If all went according to plan the deadly unsent will leave Baralai's body once it was rendered un-usable. 

He would seek a new host body as soon as possible.

And as it turned out Nooj was the closest around.

But Nooj was ready, ready to drag that evil bastard along with him to hell.

Nooj stood for a moment, watching the young praetor of new Yevon as he played the melody on the keyboard.  

'Well, as 'Shuyin' played while using Baralai's body.' He corrected himself.

Nooj took a few seconds, living in a day when he could laugh along with his three friends.

Nooj lifted his gun and took aim.

'I've got to get him in no more than 2 shots' he told himself. 

For a split second a thought gnawed at the edge of his mind which caused him to consider lowering the gun, but he quickly dismissed.

'What if Baralai didn't live?'

But he couldn't dwell too much on the thought; if he did this right Baralai would be fine.

The sound of a bullet sounded as the shot was released as a bullet went speeding for the young praetor of new Yevon.

In a fraction of a second the bullet met its target as it entered and exited through Baralai's left arm.

Almost immediately after the first shot was made a second was released as the next shot entered through the blonde's back.

The playing of the keyboard abruptly stopped as the young praetor emitted a cry of pain as he was given back control of his conscious mind as the spirit of Shuyin left his body.

The spirit shrieked as he was forced to leave the body he had been currently using, he quickly made to find a new host. Just as soon as he left the body did he notice a second presence and quickly, without second thought, made for it.

Nooj smiled grimly as he realized the bait he had laid out had been taken.

The angry spirit made for him.

He was prepared.

Nooj spared a glance to the praetor to reassure himself his bullets hadn't caused any mortal damage, and prepared to set of the bomb he had rigged within the machina part of his body.

"Go to hell" Nooj growled as Shuyin entered his body and, a split second later, the bomb was detonated.

Death had found the seeker.

***

"Yunie, did you here that?" Rikku said in a hushed voice a couple of minutes after the explosion had went off

"Of course she did, why do you think she suddenly began to quicken pace?" the sarcastic Paine said bitterly 

"I hope it wasn't Vegnagun." Rikku said, obviously ignoring Paine's bitter remark

"Its definitely a possibility." Yuna said as they jumped up on the platforms, leading to where Vegnagun was. 

The site they found when they reached the final platform left them in a state of shock.

"Baralai!" Paine said in a hushed whisper as she made to where her friends prone figure laid.

Paine noticed two bullet wounds where to be blamed for the slowly pooling blood around the body as she approached where the figure lay unmoving, unconscious she noted as a reassurance as she found the strong pulse at the base of his throat.

"Blood loss?" Rikku questioned the state of new Yevon's praetor as she stood on Paine's right side.

Two voices met there ears. Both shouting two entirely different names.

One, Leblanc, shouted for her love, Nooj, as she joined Rikku and the others on the platform. While the Gippal shouted for the new Yevon Praetor. He was already several paces in front of Le Blanc and already making for where Baralai lay

"Hey that reminds me, where _is _Nooj." Rikku whispered to her cousin, Yuna.

Just then Le Blanc let a cry of distress as she ran for the remains, or what was left of them, of Nooj.

****

LeBlanc gave a heartfelt sob as she made her way over to the remains of the object of her affections (Hardly noticing as Rikku made and effort to comfort her).

There was barely anything left of the leader of the youth league except some bits and pieces of the machina part of his body. Hardly enough to identify by but it was clearly enough for the woman who pined and followed after his very shadow. Definitely enough.

Also enough for his friends, and former members and comrades of the Crimson Squad.

Paine and Gippal felt something give away as they watched the poor woman cry for her deceased love one. 

It was a sad sight, but no matter how much closer they where to Nooj than LeBlanc and how much better they knew the former death seeker (former is used because the sought had found the one who had sought it) they did not possess what it took, or the trait when it came to matters or personality, to shed any tears.

So they didn't. 

Paine busied herself with making sure Baralai was still among the living, and Gippal made to pick up his unconscious friend.

Yuna stood back a bit, taking in the whole scene. Trying to fit together all that had transpired. It really didn't take much thought to understand the gist of it but Yuna couldn't help but wonder; Why? Why was Nooj so willing to go to such an extreme to help the young praetor of New Yevon?  Yuna couldn't help but feel that something was being over looked, something that could explain this.

She smiled sadly as she watched her normally exuberant cousin try and comfort the grieving woman, and went to help Rikku, who was obviously struggling to hold back her own tears, let alone comfort another.

In all of Yuna's years as a summoner she had realized one thing: Tears always seemed to encourage even more tears.

***

Rikku gently pat the heaving shoulders of the mournful LeBlanc in a comforting manner. Rikku never had been really any good when it came to comforting another, because in the end she would be the one needing the comfort. But it was, and always had been, in her kind nature to try her hardest to comfort another who was grieving. It was because of this that people where normally all the more grateful.

The poor Al Bhed girl nearly jumped when LeBlanc embraced her, crying harder. Rikku sat still, shocked.

Before LeBlanc had always come of to be cold, heartless, bitchy, and all of the adjectives following along the same lines. Never had she thought LeBlanc capable of tears. And when I say tears I mean real heartfelt tears. 

Rikku sighed and mentally scolded herself. Despite how unnaturally cold the other woman was, she was still human. And everyone who was human had the ability to shed tears.

_Even Paine?_

She wasn't given long to think over this when LeBlanc gave a particularly loud sob.

"There, There." She said softly, comfortingly, as she patted the poor woman on the back.

"Nooj. . Why did you. . ." LeBlanc trailed off, leaving the question standing, and continued to sob.

Rikku began to shake as she to, began to cry.

***


	2. Chapter II

**Under Different Circumstances**

**Interlude: Back Home**

**By: Minamoto Miyuki**

A/N: Well here's chapter three (kinda. . . since this chapter has absolutely nothing to do with the plot)! This is a record for me. Not only consistent updates but I made to a chapter three in only about 2 weeks? Wow! Well I plan on easing into all the romances nice and slowly. I don't want this to be one of those stories that are like 'I think I feel for you more than a best mate should- so lets snog our hearts out and decide whether or not'. Also this chapter takes on a humorous note after the grieving from last chapter. Next chapter will continue the flow of things.

Ummm . . . well thanks to Kokokung, Joka Joker, Girl Next Door, and AngelAtHeart for the inspiring reviews! I'd be lying if I said that I didn't live off reviews.

***

**LeBlanc Syndicate**

***

The boss has been gone for a while. 

I don't know if we should be worrying or. . . not?

I mean sure, a break once in awhile is all fine and good in just about everyone's books, but there's only so much idle time one can intake before their dead-beat bored.

And we're no exception, that's for sure.

We've had way to much time on our hands for way to long.

And judging by some of the-_er_-activities we've been engaging in its tell-tale.

A couple of days a go a couple of them on guard just up and left for Luca to do only Yevon-knows-what _{Another question: Who's Yevon?}._

But not much to worry there- they'll be back in a couple of days.

Ok, back to original train of thought: Where's the Boss?

The idiot Ormi was mumbling something about Nooj a couple days before the took off. . . and that. . . was a couple of days after they returned from Bevelle with the Gullwings. . .  and also a couple days after all the political leaders up and vanished. . . right?

But. . . Nooj.  . .was . . . a political leader? Right? 

Of Youth. . . something. Youth. . . Yevon?

Yeah that must be it! _{Back to the who-the-fuck-is-yevon question}_

Ok I so totally know this adds up together. . . some how.

But where's the boss?

"Rosie! Stop zoning out! The patrol around the Moonflow says they saw the boss!"

(A/N: Incase you didn't notice: Rosie isn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer)

***

**Youth League: Maroda**

***

Meyvn Nooj sure has been gone for awhile.

He better get back before I throttle Yaibal in his sleep.

Sure Yaibal has his uses. But that guy is so energetic it wears _me _out just _watching _him. I think Lucil and Elma agree with that sentiment. 

And Maechen has been taking up the fine habit of popping up on me when I least expect it. Now Maechen, sometimes I wonder if he's faking the whole scatter brain thing.

So far I've heard how 'pyreflies' aren't really 'flies' like a thousand times now. Pyreflies now inhabit both my waking and conscious thoughts.

To begin with I'd just ignore it and make sure I didn't step or sit on the old man when he chose to pop in. But now I'm not taking such precautions. If he gets stepped on it's for the better.

Ok its not only pyreflies that are bugging me but he _also _keeps reciting stories about summoners of old. Among those are Isaaru. Now the thing with that is Isaaru hardly _did _anything, and he sure as hell wasn't high summoner. Yet again leads to the thought that the man is faking it and he just wants to make my life a living hell.

Him and Yaibal.

Speaking of Yaibal. . . what did he just say? The Gullwings are here?

Maybe they know something about Nooj.

***

**Machine Faction**

***

"Gippal's been gone for awhile."

"Well when is he not? Gone that is."

"Good point. . . ."

*******

**Bevelle**

*******

Praetor Baralai has been absent for quite sometime.

Makes me wonder why we elected him for the position in the first place.

I knew when he was first given the position it would be bad news. I mean granting the position _leader to a __child?_

Now nothing against Praetor Baralai. . . but its hardly wise to place an inexperienced Youth with such a responsibility. I mean just look at those _dogs over there in the __'Youth' League. _

They have absolutely no idea of what they are doing. And the only thing they _are doing is fighting among themselves now that the Lady Yuna told them off for seeking a war with us. _

Blood thirsty mongrels.

And alas, to put and end to my thoughts: The Praetor has returned.

Now what's the leader of the 'Machine' Faction doing here?

***

A/N: Like I said in the note at the top: this chapter takes a more humorous note. Now to clear up some things: Rosie is stupid, Maroda is about to blow, Nothing really new with the Machine Faction and the hard-ass, stiff-neck Yevonites are blaming things on everyone but themselves and Yevon. Bastards. Please review and the next chapter will go back to the natural flow of angst, death, and romance.


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